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Should One Pray Quietly, or Out Loud?
mercredi 13 mai 2026 • Durée
It is reported that the Arizal made a point of reciting all the prayers quietly, without raising his voice – even the chapters of Tehillim recited in the Pesukeh De'zimra section. He felt that praying in a low, subdued voice reflected awe, fear and humility, which is the appropriate manner in which to stand in prayer before the Almighty. On Shabbat, he raised his voice somewhat during the prayers as an expression of honor for the special sanctity of Shabbat. Nevertheless, there are those who recite the prayers (besides the Amida, which must be recited quietly) out loud and with great emotion and enthusiasm. Hacham Ovadia Yosef writes that this is allowed if this helps a person pray with greater Kavana (concentration). Ultimately, he says, a person should pray in a manner that helps him serve G-d to the best of his ability. However, those who pray out loud to enhance their Kavana must ensure that their prayers do not disturb the people around them, for if they do, then the benefits of their Kavana are offset by the harm caused to other people's prayers.
Learning Mussar Every Day
mardi 12 mai 2026 • Durée
The Mishna Berura cites the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) as instructing that one should include works of Mussar as part of his daily Torah learning schedule. The term "Mussar" refers to materials aimed at enhancing one's Yir'at Shamayim (fear of G-d) and inspiring and helping a person to grow in his ethical conduct and his religious commitment. Every person has a Yeser Ha'ra (evil inclination) and faces spiritual challenges each day. This is true of all people, regardless of their level of religious commitment. In fact, the more a person grows spiritually, the more the Yeser Ha'ra tries to lead him to sin. Therefore, a person must counter these efforts by studying works of Mussar that remind him of his religious obligations and of how Hashem watches him at all times and holds him to account for everything he does. For this reason, most yeshivot include an official Seder (session) for the learning of Mussar as part of the daily schedule. In some yeshivot, this Seder takes place toward the end of the day. In Yeshivat Porat Yosef, however, Mussar is learned in the morning, before the students begin their regular studies. This seems more reasonable, as the students thereby gain inspiration right at the beginning of the day, setting the tone for the day's learning. Rav Yisrael Salanter (1809-1883) taught that when learning Mussar, one should say the words with his mouth, rather than read silently, as the words have a stronger impact when they are verbalized.
Quality Over Quantity
lundi 11 mai 2026 • Durée
The Shulhan Aruch writes that it is preferable to recite fewer supplications with Kavana (concentration) than to recite more without Kavana. Of course, there are certain prayers which we are strictly required to recite, and which thus should not be skipped. And, we are not going to change the Siddur and omit non-obligatory sections which we have been accepted as part of the prayer service, so that we can recite the rest slower and with greater Kavana. On an individual level, however, if a person finds it difficult to recite these non-obligatory texts with Kavana, then he should preferably recite fewer, slowly and with concentration. For example, if somebody finds it difficult to recite all the additional supplications added to Shaharit on Monday and Thursday, I would advise him to recite a small amount with Kavana, and this is far better than mindlessly rushing through the entire text to complete it in time. This concept of "quality over quantity" applies also to Torah learning. G-d counts not the number of pages a person covers, but the quality of his learning, the time and effort he invests in Torah study. It is preferable to learn less material and to understand it properly, then to cover more ground but without a clear understanding of what was learned. The fixed learning regimens that many people follow – most famously, of course, Daf Yomi – have great value in providing a framework that helps ensure that a person spends time each day learning, but they also have a disadvantage, in that they do not allow enough time for a clear understanding of the material. Am Yisrael has accepted frameworks such as Daf Yomi because of the benefit of having a fixed structure of learning, but as a general rule, it is preferable to cover less material slowly, and understand it properly, than to learn larger quantities quickly with less clarity. Ideally, of course, a person should strive for both quality and quantity – devoting enough time to learn large amounts of material properly and in-depth.
Tikkun Hasot
dimanche 10 mai 2026 • Durée
The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (3a) teaches that the night is divided into three periods, and at the points when one period leads to the other, Hashem "roars like a lion," bemoaning the fact that our sins compelled him to destroy the Bet Ha'mikdash. The Bet Yosef brings from earlier sources that it is proper to join Hashem at those moments and lament the destruction of the Bet Ha'mikdash. The Kabbalists, however, determined that this should be done at the point of Hasot, halachic midnight. This is the time best suited to mourn the destruction of the Bet Ha'mikdash, the Jewish People's dispersion, and the death of the righteous Sadikim. The Kabbalists taught that it is especially important not to sleep at the moment of Hasot, as this brings upon the person a certain level of impurity. For many generations, the practice of Tikkun Hasot – reciting a special prayer mourning the destruction of the Bet Ha'mikdash at Hasot – was observed by the Sadikim. There are accounts of how the synagogue in Halab (Aleppo, Syria) would be filled at Hasot by men reciting Tikkun Hasot and then remaining to learn Torah. Tikkun Hasot is normally recited in a manner reflecting mourning – on the floor, without shoes, wearing sackcloth, with ashes on one's head, and crying loudly. Hacham Baruch Ben-Haim shared with us his memories of his father reciting Tikkun Hasot while sitting on the floor. People in our community remember seeing Hacham Shaul Kassin crying on the floor while reciting Tikkun Hasot. I had the opportunity to join the special Thursday night Tikkun Hasot service led by Rav Benayahu Shmueli in Jerusalem, near the Temple Mount, in close proximity to the site of the Kodesh Ha'kodashim (the inner sanctum of the Bet Ha'mikdash). For two hours, the small group of Rabbis sit on the floor, weep, and sing, beseeching Hashem to rebuild the Bet Ha'mikdash. Although Tikkun Hasot is not required as a strict Halachic obligation, Hacham Ovadia Yosef writes that one who is in any event awake shortly before Hasot should certainly remain awake a bit longer in order to recite Tikkun Hasot. It should be noted the during the winter months, Hasot is around 11:30-11:45pm, which is not very late for many people, and so it is certainly worthwhile for those who are awake at that time to recite this special prayer. Halachic Hasot is defined as the midway point between sunset and sunrise. Some claimed that Hacham Ovadia Yosef permitted during Elul reciting Selihot – which may not be recited prior to Hasot – after the time of Hasot in Jerusalem, wherever one is located. This would mean that in New York, for example, it would be permissible to recite Selihot already in the late afternoon hours. However, Rav Yisrael Bitan writes that these reports are unreliable. Nevertheless, with regard to Tikkun Hasot, Rav Bitan cites Hacham David Yosef as ruling in Halacha Berura that there is room to allow reciting Tikkun Hasot shortly before midnight in areas west of Eretz Yisrael. There is a view among the Poskim that permits reciting Tikkun Hasot even before Hasot, and so although we do not follow this opinion, we can combine this lenient ruling with the possibility that the time of Hasot depends on the moment of Hasot in Jerusalem. Since in any event Tikkun Hasot is not required as a strict Halachic obligation, there is room to rely on these two lenient positions to permit reciting Tikkun Hasot even before halachic midnight, if it is after Hasot in Jerusalem.
If Staying Up Late Causes One to Wake Up Late
vendredi 8 mai 2026 • Durée
If a person feels alert in the late hours of the night, should he spend that time learning Torah, even if this will likely cause him to wake up late in the morning and miss the final time for reciting Shema? One might argue that at night, one is not required to take the next morning into account, and since he currently is able to learn Torah, he should do so without worrying about how this might affect the next morning. In truth, this line of reasoning is entirely incorrect, and it is clear that one must ensure to go to sleep early enough at night to ensure his ability to wake up in time for Shema in the morning. Reading Shema before the final time in the morning constitutes a Torah obligation, and, moreover, it cannot be made up once it is missed. Thus, if a person oversleeps and does not read Shema by the final time, he has neglected a Torah obligation. Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Jerusalem, 1924-1998) sharply criticized yeshiva students who stay up late to learn and then oversleep the next morning, noting that they are using the Torah to act contrary to Hashem's will, which cannot possibly be excused. He related that Rav Tzadka Hussin (Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1876-1961) always recited Shaharit at sunrise, but one morning he woke up late, and he decided to pray privately at home, rather than arrive late in the synagogue. He felt that a Rabbi arriving late for the prayer creates a Hilul Hashem – a defamation of G-d's Name – and it is therefore to pray at home under such circumstances. This underscores the impropriety of Torah scholars rising late in the morning. It is far preferable to learn less at night and wake up on time in the morning than to learn until the late nighttime hours and risk waking up late in the morning. It should be mentioned that there is a famous dispute among the Poskim in calculating the final time for Shema in the morning. The two opinions are commonly referred to as the view of the Magen Abraham (Rav Abraham Gombiner, Poland, 1633-1683) and the Vilna Gaon (1720-1797). Sephardic practice follows the view of the Magen Abraham, according to which the final time is earlier than according to the Vilna Gaon. Hacham Ovadia Yosef writes that one should not rely on the lenient view of the Vilna Gaon except under extenuating circumstances. Certainly, though, if one missed the time of Magen Abraham, he should ensure to recite the Shema before the time of the Vilna Gaon.
Daytime Naps
jeudi 7 mai 2026 • Durée
The Gemara in Masechet Sukka (26a) instructs that one should not sleep during the day for a longer period than that which a horse sleeps, a duration of "sixty breaths." Rashi explains that sleeping during the day is not allowed because the daytime should be used constructively, for Torah learning. This is mentioned by subsequent writers, and brought as Halacha by the Shulhan Aruch. However, the Mahasit Ha'shekel (Rav Shmuel Kellin, 1724-1806) ruled that if a person needs to nap during the day to enhance his productivity, then this is allowed. For many people, daytime naps increase productivity, as it helps them accomplish more the rest of the day, after they wake up. According to this view, then, although in general one should not take a nap during the day, this is allowed if the objective is to be more alert and productive afterward. The Arizal taught that one must not sleep during the day under any circumstances, as this may cause damage to one's soul. However, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in his Rav Pe'alim, writes that the Arizal's teaching applies only to the souls of the great Sadikim, which are on an especially high level of sanctity and are thus particularly sensitive. Such souls could be damaged by daytime naps. For us, however, this is not a concern. It is indeed customary in many yeshivot for the students to take a nap during the afternoon, as this significantly enhances the quality of their learning the rest of the afternoon and at night. For most students, the afternoon nap does not at all diminish from their productivity, as to the contrary, it enables them to accomplish far more than they would otherwise. Hacham Ovadia Yosef writes that while it is preferable to avoid napping during the day, this is certainly allowed if one's intention is not simply to relax, but to increase his productivity the rest of the day and in the evening.
Waking Up Before Dawn
mercredi 6 mai 2026 • Durée
Rav Haim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1868), in his Ruah Haim, lists several behaviors that helps a person live a long life, one of which is waking early, before dawn, every morning. He even mentions a certain British diplomat who wrote about the health benefits of waking early, how this contributes to one's physical wellbeing, promotes longevity, and even enhances his intellectual capabilities. A number of sources speak about the value of spending the "transition" moments at the beginning and end of each day involved in Torah learning or prayer. This means learning or praying early in the morning, when night transitions to morning, and at the end of day, from sunset until nightfall. This is mentioned by the Mishna Berura and by the Ben Ish Hai, and earlier by the Magen Abraham (Rav Abraham Gomibiner, Poland, d. 1682), based on the writings of the Shela Ha'kadosh (Rav Yeshaya Horowitz, d. 1630). Some Poskim propose that learning Torah during these transitional periods fulfills the command "Ve'hagita Bo Yomam Va'layla" – to learn Torah day and night. The vast majority of people, of course, cannot fulfill this command in the literal sense, by learning Torah constantly by day and by night. It is possible, however, to fulfill this Misva by "connecting" day and night with Torah learning, studying during the period when night turns to day and day turns to night. For this reason, too, there is value in waking early, just before dawn, so one can pray and learn Torah as the new day begins.
The Best Time of Night for Sleeping
mardi 5 mai 2026 • Durée
The Kabbalists taught that it is preferable to sleep during the first part of the night – from nightfall (when the stars come out) until Hasot (halachic midnight). During this first half of the night, the Kabbalists explained, the harmful spiritual energies are in force, posing danger to the purity of the Neshama (soul). It is thus best to go to sleep right at nightfall, when these energies surface, as when one sleeps his soul is entrusted to Hashem and hence protected from these forces. Then, right before Hasot, one should rise and involve himself in Torah and prayer. This was the practice followed by the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909). Citing the Arizal, the Ben Ish Hai taught that the first part of the night of called "Layil," whereas the second part of the night is called "Layla." The exceptions to this rule are Friday night and the night of the Seder. On Friday night, the sanctity of Shabbat protects the soul from harm, and the night of the Seder is called "Lel Shimurim" (Shemot 12:42), a night of protection, when even the "Layil" portion of the night is safe for the soul due to the special quality of this night. However, Hacham Ovadia Yosef noted that both the Gemara (Berachot 62b) and the Rambam (Hilchot De'ot 4:4) instruct that sleep is most beneficial during the latter part of the night. Hacham Ovadia writes that he saw Rabbis in Jerusalem who followed the Ben Ish Hai's practice, but his practice was to learn until late at night and then go to sleep. Practically speaking, it seems that the advent of electric lighting and modern travel and communication has rendered this question moot. Years ago, there was no possibility of working or doing much else after dark, and so people stayed home. Today, of course, people are still busy after nightfall, and it is not practical for most people to go to sleep right at nightfall – which can be as early as 5:30pm or so in the winter – and then wake up at Hasot. Therefore, while there are those (such as the "Kollel Hasot" program) who sleep during the first part of the night and then rise before Hasot, for most people it is more proper to learn at night and then go to sleep.
The Importance of Learning Torah at Night
lundi 4 mai 2026 • Durée
The Rambam, in Hilchot Talmud Torah (3:12), writes that one cannot achieve success in Torah learning if he learns in a relaxed manner, and only when learning is convenient and comfortable. Like anything else in life, a person excels only through persistence, diligence, and hard work. "Dabbling" in Torah will not result in Torah scholarship – just like "dabbling" in any other field will not lead to mastery or excellence in that field. There are no shortcuts to achievement in Torah study. Rav Mordechai Gifter (1915-2001), Rosh Yeshiva of the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland, would say that a lot of students want to learn the entire Shas in one night – and also manage to sleep eight hours that night…and to learn while sipping soda… Quite obviously, this is not how it works. A person can succeed in Torah learning only if he is prepared to put in the time, work and effort, and to learn even when conditions are far less than ideal. This includes learning even when one feels tired. Although a person should certainly sleep as much as he needs, he should ensure to use the rest of his time for Torah learning, and not for sleeping beyond what he needs for his physical and emotional wellbeing. Many sources emphasize the particular importance and value of learning Torah during the nighttime hours. In fact, the Gemara (Erubin 65a) states explicitly that the nighttime period was designated specifically for Torah learning. And the Rambam writes in Hilchot Talmud Torah (3:13): "Even though it is a Misva to study both during the day and at night, it is only at night that a person acquires the majority of his wisdom. Therefore, whoever wishes to merit the "Crown of Torah" should be careful with all of his nights, not wasting even one of them on sleep, eating, drinking, idle chatter, or the like—rather, [spending them] in the study of Torah and words of wisdom." The Rambam concludes: "And any house in which the words of Torah are not heard at night will be consumed by fire." If one's "fire" – his passion, his excitement and energy – is directed somewhere else other than Torah, then his home runs the risk, Heaven forbid, of being consumed by fire. The Torah tells (Bereshit 28:11) that when Yaakob was leaving Eretz Yisrael, and he reached the site where the Bet Ha'mikdash would be built, he went to sleep ("Va'yalen Sham"). The Midrash comments that Yaakob slept there – but did not sleep at all during the fourteen previous years, which he spent learning Torah in the yeshiva of Shem and Eber. The commentators explain that this cannot mean that he literally remained awake for fourteen years. Rather, it means that during that period, Yaakob never actually went to sleep in a bed. When he needed to, he put his head down, or found a place to lie so he could get the small amount of sleep that he needed. In order to achieve in Torah learning, one must be prepared to sacrifice physical comfort, and to keep his sleep to a minimum. A different passage in the Midrash tells that King David would go to sleep at nightfall, but he kept a musical instrument by his bedroom window, that served as a kind of "alarm clock." At Hasot (midnight), the wind would blow the strings, producing music, and David would wake up to learn Torah. The Yeser Ha'ra (evil inclination) would try to convince him to go back to sleep, saying that kings normally enjoy the luxury of sleeping late, as they do not have to rise early for work like the commoners. But David would ignore the Yeser Ha'ra and spend the rest of the night engrossed in Torah study. The Gemara (Sukka 26b) instructs that if a person needs to sleep during the day, he should sleep for only a brief amount. Elsewhere (Erubin 65a), the Gemara relates that Rav Hisda's daughter asked why he slept so little, and he replied that soon – after his passing – he would have plenty of time for sleep… Our limited time here in this world should be used productively, and not wasted on excessive rest and relaxation. The Midrash Tanhuma (Parashat Noah, 3) warns that in order to succeed in learning the intricate material of the Torah She'be'al Peh, one cannot aspire to wealth and luxuries; the only way to excel in Torah learning is by sacrificing physical and material comforts. Similarly, Tana De'beh Eliyahu Zuta (14) warns that excessive eating and sleeping leads to "poverty" in the area of Torah knowledge. Normally, when a person stays up late at night and sleeps only the minimum that he requires, he is likely to appear the next day pale, drained, and bleary-eyed, and might not be very pleasant to look at. However, the Gemara (Hagiga 12a) promises that if a person spends his night learning Torah, Hashem "casts a cord of Hesed" over him. This means that he will have a certain "charm" the next day, earning people's admiration and favor despite his fatigue. In a different passage (Sanhedrin 71b), the Gemara teaches that when the righteous sleep, they and the entire world suffer a loss. As the Sadikim spend their time productively, involved in meaningful pursuits that benefit them and the entire world, they and the world lose as a result of the time they spend sleeping. (Conversely, then, when the wicked sleep – and thus are not engaged in their sinful behavior – they and the entire world benefit from their inactivity.) The Gemara in Masechet Menahot (110a) teaches that scholars who spend their nights learning Torah are considered as though they offer sacrifices in the Bet Ha'mikdash. And in Masechet Tamid (32b), the Gemara states that if a person learns Torah at night, the Shechina accompanies him wherever he goes. The Talmud Yerushalmi (Ta'anit 3a) cites Rav Ada Bar Ahaba as avowing that he never slept an entire night, as he always rose early to learn Torah. The Reshit Hochma ( Rabbi Eliyahu de Vidas, 1518–1587) writes that when one learns Torah at night, he is not seen; his study is private, without publicity and fanfare, and this lends it a very special quality. Since he learns secretly, he is worthy of having the hidden secrets of the Torah revealed to him. An especially stern passage appears in Abot De'Rabbi Natan (29:3), warning that if a person is awake at night and not involved in Torah learning, "he would be better off had he been strangled at birth." Rabbenu Yona (Spain, 1200-1263) writes that if a person stays awake at night learning Torah, then he obviates the need for Yisurin (punishments). Since he subjects himself to the discomfort of remaining awake to learn Torah, this counts for whichever kinds of suffering he needs to experience. This is alluded to by the verse in Tehillim (94:12), "Ashreh Ha'geber Asher Teyaserenu Y-ah U'mi'Toratecha Telamedenu" – "Fortunate is the man whom G-d punished, and teaches him from his Torah." This can be read to mean that a person is fortunate if he receives his punishments by immersing himself in intensive Torah learning, exerting hard work and effort. Rabbenu Yona further notes that Moshe Rabbenu did not sleep at all throughout the forty days he spent atop Mount Sinai receiving the Torah – setting an example of minimizing sleep for the sake of Torah learning. If, Rabbenu Yona adds, a king invited someone to his treasury to collect as many riches as he could for a specific period of time, this man would certainly not sleep at all during that time, and would use every moment he could to collect riches. We, too, should use as much of our limited time in this world as we can for Torah learning, collecting spiritual "riches," rather than waste our time indulging in physical comforts. Rav Besalel Ashkenazi (Israel, 1520-1592) writes that in his youth, he spent his nights engaged in Torah study, often learning throughout the night without sleeping. He also occasionally skipped meals. It was through this sacrifice of physical comforts for Torah learning that he achieved Torah scholarship. The Reshit Hochma writes that his esteemed mentor, Rav Yosef Taychik (1465-1546), did not sleep in a bed for forty years, and would instead sit on an elevated piece of furniture with his legs dangling, such that he would not stay asleep for an extended period. He rose every night at midnight and spent the rest of the night learning Torah. And a disciple of Rav Yehonatan Eibshutz (1694-1764) testified that throughout the years he spent learning under him, Rav Yehonatan never slept in a bed, and instead dozed for brief periods in his chair. Rav Chaim Brim (Jerusalem, 1922-2002) related that the Hazon Ish (Rav Abraham Yeshaya Karelitz, 1878-1953) was once found sleeping on his bed in the wrong position – with his feet on the side where the head was supposed to be. The people told him to turn around, and he said, "If I had the strength to turn myself around, I would learn another Tosafot." The Hazon Ish continued learning Torah until he had no strength left, not even to turn his body around. Rav Haim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1868) wrote that if a person could see into the future, to the time when he would be in the grave, and understand the extent of the regret he would experience for not having used his time properly, he would never waste time, and he would minimize his sleep in order to spend more time learning Torah. Rav Palachi added that a person who rises at midnight to learn Torah earns the status of a "friend" of Hashem and of the Nation of Israel, and he will be spared punishments that befall the rest of the world. The Reshit Hochma notes that when rising at midnight to learn Torah, one should be driven solely by his genuine love for Hashem, and not by any ulterior motives. Only if his intentions are pure will he reap the precious rewards for learning Torah at night. The Reshit Hochma says that as a teenager, he devoted himself entirely to Torah study, engaging in virtually no other activities. The Peleh Yoetz (Rav Eliezer Papo, 1785-1828) urges us to train ourselves to sleep fewer hours and to learn Torah even when we feel drowsy, in order to maximize the amount of time we have to devote to Torah. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) discusses the great value of learning Torah in the predawn hours, adding that one's intentions should be for the sake of Hashem, and not to earn reward. The Tchebiner Rav (1881-1965) had the practice on Shabbat afternoons of testing schoolchildren on their Torah studies. One Shabbat afternoon, a boy knocked on his door, but there was no answer, as the Rabbi was sleeping. The youngster continued knocking until the Rabbi answered. The Rabbi gently told the boy that if nobody answers the door on Shabbat afternoon, this usually means that the people in the home are asleep. "I didn't think that the Rabbi slept on Shabbat afternoon!" The Tchebiner Rav committed to never sleep again on Shabbat afternoon, acknowledging that this was the expectation of a sage of his stature. From all these sources, we see the importance of learning Torah even when one feels tired, and that we must try to push ourselves to achieve to the best of our ability rather than spend our free time relaxing and learning only when it is easy and convenient.
Doing One’s Best
dimanche 3 mai 2026 • Durée
The Mishna at the end of Masechet Menahot (110a) teaches: "Ehad Ha'marbeh Ve'ehad Ha'mam'it, U'bilbad She'yechaven Libo La'Shamayim" – "Whether one does much or one does little, as long as he directs his heart toward Heaven." The point made by the Mishna is that the most important factor is not the amount that one actually manages to accomplish, but rather the extent to which he maximizes his potential and does his best. A person who is able to learn six hours a day is not necessarily greater than a person who is able to learn just one hour day, as these two individuals might face very different circumstances. If the first individual learns for six hours but has the ability to learn even more, whereas the second only has an hour for learning and takes full advantage of that hour, then the second is greater than the first. This is true also of scholarly achievement, charity, Hesed, community involvement, and so on. Not everyone is in the position to do the same amount. Every individual has his unique set of strengths, weaknesses, talents, struggles, challenges and circumstances, and no two people's expectations are thus exactly alike. The most important thing is "She'yechaven Libo La'Shamayim" – that one sincerely invests the greatest effort that he can and achieves to the very best of his ability. Hacham Ovadia Yosef noted that the word "Leb" ("heart") consists of the letters Lamed and Bet. These two letters are preceded by the letters Kaf and Alef – which spell the word "Ach" ("only"), and are followed by the letters Mem and Gimal – which spell the word "Gam." Now the Gemara teaches us that the word "Ach" implies a "Mi'ut," an exclusion, and when it appears in the Torah in the context of a Halacha, it indicates that something is excluded from the law in question. Conversely, the word "Gam" implies a "Ribui," an extension, that the law includes something that we might not have expected it to. The word "Leb" is thus "surrounded" by both "Marbeh" and "Mam'it," by an allusion to a large amount and an allusion to a smaller amount. This reinforces the notion that the most important thing is the heart, one's sincerity, one's genuine quest for excellence and devoted efforts to do the most he can. This – and not the bottom-line result – is what matters to Hashem and what should matter to us.
